1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of personal computers. In particular, the invention relates to a personal computer comprising a computing module that attaches to a mating peripheral console.
2. Description of Related Art
Most computer systems are designed as standalone, self-contained units. A personal computer (PC) is constructed with a motherboard, enclosed within a case, acting as the central circuit board that connects all devices together including the central processing unit (CPU), system memory, graphics devices, audio devices, communications devices, a power supply, hard disk drive, floppy disk drive, add-on cards, and others. While some components may be exposed to the exterior of the case for easy substitution and replacement, such as removable diskette drives or PCMCIA cards for a notebook computer, the CPU is fixed within the case. A new generation of processor "modules," such as Intel's Mobile CPU module, contain the CPU and certain support circuitry within a pluggable module, but the module is directly attached to the motherboard, enclosed within the computer case, and removed only for servicing. As such, the CPU, which is an expensive component of the computer, cannot be readily utilized apart from the system in which it is installed.
Improved modular designs for personal computer systems have been suggested in the past. U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,616 (Kikinis) shows a notebook computer comprised almost entirely of pluggable modules. This design wins the advantages most often associated with modularity, i.e., flexibility in configuration and ease of servicing. At this level of modularity, however, no single module is sufficient in itself to preserve the core computing capability and environment of the computer user.
Another approach to personal computer modularity suffers from the same shortcoming. The recently developed Device Bay standard defines a mechanism for easily adding and upgrading PC peripheral devices without opening the computer case. Device Bay supports a wide variety of storage devices. The Device Bay standard supports only peripheral devices, however, and not CPU or memory modules.
Notebook computers with docking stations represent a partitioning of PC components that permits the core computing capability and environment of the user to be isolated to a portable physical package, i.e., the notebook computer. The notebook is self-contained and fully able to operate apart from any docking station, having all core computing capability plus primary input and display devices integrated into a single package. The docking station is an optional accessory that may be used to hold secondary or bulky peripheral devices.
The portability of notebook computers is, however, constrained by several factors. As a fully functional computer system, a notebook computer requires a substantial power supply. Batteries and AC adapters are both heavy limiting the ability to produce a device that is lightweight. A notebook computer also supplies primary input and display devices for the user. Usable keyboards and readable display screens limit the ability to produce a device with small dimensions that can support the software applications most commonly used on personal computers.
The most significant partitioning of a desktop personal computer occurs in the IBM Aptiva S Series. The Aptiva S PC's incorporate a system tower with a physically separate media console connected by a bus cable. The media console contains frequently accessed peripherals, such as CD-ROM and diskette drives, and has a connection for the keyboard and mouse. This construction removes the bulky tower case from the desktop by locating a small set of low performance peripherals near the monitor, as much as six feet away from the tower. The major components of the system, including the CPU, memory, hard disk drive, add-on cards, power supply, etc., remain together in the tower case.
Consequently, there is a need in the art for a personal computer that allows the user to localize their core computing power and software environment in a small, lightweight, single, portable, physical package.